Ordnance firing mechanism



A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

ORDNANCE FIRING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1918.

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A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM. ORDNANCE FIRING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 191a.

Lgmg'mu Patented June 27, 1922.

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ARTHUR TREVOR DAXVSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WIVESTIMIINS'EER,

LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VIGKERS LIMITED, OF \VESTMINSTER, ENG- LAND.

ORDNANCE FIRING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TRnvoR Dawson, knight, and Sir GEORGE THoMAs BUoKHnM, knight, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, WVestminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Ordnance Firing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ordnance in which a rifle lock is employed as the firing mechanism.

According to the invention we employ a bolt rifle lock and provide means whereby the striker of this look can be released to fire the gun from a suitable position on the gun mounting or cradle by a Bowden wire or cable or other convenient device operating upon the trigger of thelock preferably through a plunger mounted in, a casing attached to the lock body. A safety device is provided which prevents the trigger sear from jarring into .its releasing position when the breech mechanism is slammed and also prevents deliberately firing when the breech screw is in any but the fully locked position. Another device (which may be in the form of a catch carried by the safety device) allows the bolt to be withdrawn for the ejection of a used cartridge case and the insertion of a new blank cartridge but prevents the bolt from being fully returned to its firing position, while the breech screw is unlocked. it is thus impossibleto fire the gun except when the breech screw is. fully locked or for accidental firing to occur in the event of the mechanism being opened after a blank cartridge has been inserted but has not been fired.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing a Lee-Enfield rifle lock adapted to serve as ordnance firing mechanism in accoroance with the invention and connected to the aforesaid casing.

Figure 2 is a side elevation (with parts in section) of a Lee-Enfield rifle lock shewing the modifications made therein.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the lock of Figure 2 after the said modifications have been made.

Figure 4 is a. vertical longitudinal section of the breech end of a gun provided with the adapted Lee-Enfield rifle lock shewn by Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of Figure 4;.

Flgure 6.is.a section taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figures 7 and 8 are sections taken approximately on the line 7-7 of Figure 4 shewing the parts in two different positions hereinafter referred to, and

Figures 9 and 10 are sections taken approximately on the line 99 of Figure 8 showing the parts in two different positions hereinafter referred to.

A is the breech screw carrier A is the breech screw, and A isthe axial vent bolt. B is the body of the Lee-Eniield lock, B is the bolt, B? is the striker, B is the sear and B is the trigger. B? is the aforesaid casin attached to the lock body B, C is the plum ger mounted in this casing and operating upon the trigger B- and G is the Bowden wire for actuating the said plunger which wire leads to a firing handle or other actuating device situated on the gun mounting or the gun cradle. D is the aforesaid safety device which is in the form of a ledge on a sleeve D rotatably mounted in the breech screw carrier, and is connected to the breech screw so as to move angularly therewith,-

antl E is the aforesaid catch carried thereby.

In order toadapt the Lee-Eufield lock for the purpose of the present invention, the ex istmg magazine 7) (Figure 2) of the said lock is removed and. the projecting portion of the trigger guard 7) cut away as shewn by chain lines in. Figure 2. The part of the magazine catch 5 shown by dotted lines is also cut away and a hole 7): isv drilled in the remaining portion of the trigger guard Z) toreceive a pin so as to secure it in position. The magazine cut-off b is removed and is substituted by a bar of the casing B and the rear end of the lock body is closed by a plug 7) which is formed with; a screw-threaded hole to receive a screw 6 serving to connect the rear part of the lock body 13 to the rear end of the lock casing 13. A collar or washer b is attached tothe front end of the lock body to constitute means for securing the front end of the casing B to the. lock body. When the lock body is in place, a locking pin a (Figures 5, 7 and 8) on the carrier A enters a slot in the collar Z2 and prevents the lock from turning on the axial vent bolt A which has a screwthreaded boss with which the existing screw threads for connecting the lock body to the rifle barrel engage. The vent chamber is bored to take a blank service cartridge.

The aforesaid lock casing B fixed to the lock body B, encloses the trigger 13* and the sear B and the aforesaid plunger C mounted in this casing is made in two parts and fitted with external and internal springs C, C (the latterbeing situated between the two plunger parts) and said plunger engages with one arm C of a bell-crank lever pivoted at c to the casing B The other arm C of this bell-crank lever is adapted to engage with the aforesaid ledge D on the sleeve D when the latter commences to move from its locked position (see Figure 8) thus preventing firing when the breech screw is in any but the fully locked position shewn by Figure 7. The external spring C of the plunger returns the latter to normal position after firing and the internal spring C allows relative movement.- to occur between the parts of the plunger during the opening of the breech when the ledge D is engaging with the arm of the bell-crank lever after firing. The said plunger is actuated to fire the gun by means of a lever C pivoted at C to a bracket A attached to the carrier A, this lever being connected to the aforesaid Bowden wire C which is attached to a suitable handle (not shewn) arranged on the gun mounting or cradle.

The aforesaid catch E is carried by part of the sleeve D and is in the form of a spring plunger having a bevelled surface a. \Vhen the breech screw is in the unlocked position and the bolt is then withdrawn to 'eject a used cartridge case, the bolt head B by its contact with the bevelled surface 0, presses back the spring plunger E, which then. under the influence of its spring, returns to its original position and prevents the bolt from being moved'forward to insert a new blank cartridge, as shown by Figure 10. lVhat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with the breech screw and the axial vent bolt or mushroom stem' of a rifle lock constituting the firing mechanism, means formed on the lock body for directly attaching said lock to said bolt, and flexible mechanical means whereby the striker of said lock can be released to fire the gun from a position on the gun mounting or the gun cradle.

2. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with the breech screw and the axial vent bolt or nntishroom stem of a mile lock of the b it type constituting the firing mechanism, means formed on the lock body for directly attaching said lock to said bolt, and flexible mechanical means whereby the striker-of said lock can be released to fire the gun from a position on the gunmounting or the gun cradle.

3. In breech loading ordnance, the combination of a rifle lock constituting the firing mechanism and flexible mechanical means operating upon the trigger of said lock for firing the gun from a position on the gun mounting or the gun cradle.

l. In breech loading ordnance, the combination of a rifie lock consituting the firing mechanism, a plunger engaging with the trigger of said lock and a flexible cable for displacing said plunger to release the striker of the lock. g

5. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with the breech mechanism, of a rifle lock constituting the firing mechanism, flexible mechanical means for operating the trigger of said lock to release the striker oil? the lock and a safety device for positively preventing the trigger from being operated to release the striker when the breech mechanism is in any but the fully locked position.

6 In breech loading ordnance, the combination with the breech mechanism, of a rifle lock constituting the firing mechanism, a plunger engaging with the trigger of said lock, flexible mechanical means whereby said plunger can be operated from a position on the gun mounting or the-gun cradle and serving to release the striker of the lock, and means for holding said plunger from movement to release the striker unless the breech mechanism is in the fully locked position.

7'. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with the breech screw,,o:l a rifle lock constituting the firing mechanism, a plun ger engaging with the trigger of said lock, flexible mechanical means whereby said, plunger can be operated from a position on the gun mounting or the gun cradle and serving to release the striker of the lock, and means, moving with the breech screw during looking and unlocking displacements of the latter, for holding said plunger from movement to release the striker unless the breech screw is in the fully locked position.

8. In breech'loading ordnance, the combination with the breech screw, of a rifle lock of the bolt type constituting the firing mechanism and a device which allows the bolt to be moved rearwards but prevents it from being returned to its firing position while the breech screw is in the unlocked position.

9. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with the breech screw, of a rifle lock of the bolt type constituting the firing mechanism, a device moving angularly with the breech screw during locking and unlocking displacements of the latter, for pre venting the striker of said lock from being released to fire the gun unless the breech screw is in the fully locked position, and a spring catch carried by said device for preventing the bolt, after being moved rearwards, from being returned to its firing position while the breech screw is in the unlocked position.

In testimony whereof we ztflix our signatures.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM. 

